Restorative Yoga's Imporantance (Extended Practice last night)

Restorative is more than just laying across blankets and bolsters... and is just as effective as a more physical practice.  Restorative yoga is a therapeutic style of Yoga which utilizes props to make it easier for the body to get into different poses allowing for full surrender of the body and muscles.  Using props while practicing gives your body complete support.  The more supported your body is in the poses, the deeper the sense of relaxation occurs.  Relaxation is a state where there is no movement, no effort, and the mind is quiet and still.  Restorative poses are held for 10 minutes.

Why should you add restorative yoga to your practice you say?  In a chronically stressed society we live in, the quality of your life and health can deteriorate.  The body's ability to heal itself can be compromised, inhibiting recovery from injury or illness with the possibility of new illness or injury.  The antidote to stress relaxation.  Restorative Yoga focuses on relaxation, renewal, effortless, and ease.  Blankets, bolsters, straps, blocks, and sandbags are used to support the body in the various poses.  This allows the body to move towards a more balanced state.  This practice soothes and clams the nervous system, helps quiet your mind and invites you to release deeply held stress and tension.  Restorative poses awaken the habit of attention.  The mind should always focus on the breath.  Use the breath as a tool to release tension or calm the mind and body.  During these periods of deep relaxation you will be healed and nurtured by your body's own natural systems.


Judith Lasater says ~

The development of these poses is credited to B.K.S. Iyengar, of Pune, India. Author of the contemporary classic Light on Yoga and numerous other books, Iyengar has been teaching yoga for more than sixty years. Widely recognized as a worldwide authority, he is one of the most creative teachers of yoga today.

Iyengar's early teaching experience showed him how pain or injury can result from a student straining in a yoga pose. He experimented with "props," modifying poses until the student could practice without strain. Iyengar also explored how these modified poses could help people recover from illness or injury. It is because of his creativity that the restorative poses in my book (Relax and Renew)-most of which have been developed or directly inspired by him-are such powerful tools to reduce stress and restore health.

When you experience the deliciousness of a restorative pose for yourself you will know why Restorative Yoga is an important component of your yoga practice.

Namaste
            Ash